The present invention relates to the field of antennas, and more particularly to millimeter wave phase shifters and antennas.
Millimeter wave RF components are characterized by their relatively small size due to the shortness of the wavelength. An existing millimeter wave combined phase shifter/antenna array is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,613,869, by James S. Ajioka and James V. Strahan and assigned to a common assignee with the present application. The entire contents of U.S. Pat. No. 4,613,869 is incorporated herein by this reference. In the antenna of this patent, magnetic flux is imparted into the ferrite rod body through a pair of similar ferrite yokes that provided a return path for the magnetic field. Around these yokes are a pair of drive coils of wire, which are driven by a pulse generator, changing the amount of remnant flux, and therefore the relative microwave phase shift from one aperture port to its neighbor. This allows the exiting beam to be directed, achieving a scanning motion.
The present invention is an improvement to the combined phase shifter/antenna array of U.S. Pat. No. 4,613,869, in order to eliminate a number of components, instead performing their tasks within a single processed and plated ferrite rod.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved millimeter wave phase shifter/antenna which employs fewer components, is less expensive to fabricate, and is rugged in operation.